Brown and Green
The Office of Sustainability Newsletter
Summer Reflections
This past academic year, a cautious, but optimistic and scientific approach allowed the Brown community to reunite, culminating in a successful double commencement for both the classes of 2020 and 2022. The return to more traditional University life has been a very welcome one, but there are also valuable lessons we learned from the past two years. For example, the implementation of Alternative Work Assignments, where possible, has encouraged a more flexible work life balance for many individuals across campus and has also helped reduce commuter emissions. From this unexpected experiment, we have been able to capture and analyze more dynamic commuting data and envision different sustainable strategies around commuting.
Thank you for following the Office of Sustainability along on our journey to make Brown a more sustainable community. We look forward to further progress towards the University's sustainability goals as the new academic year approaches.
- Jessica Berry, Director, Office of Sustainability
SUSTAINABILITY EVENTS
Green Move-In
Brown will soon be welcoming the class of 2026 to campus! In preparation, the Office of Sustainability is gearing up for another Green Move-In. This program aims to alleviate some of the environmental impacts resulting from move-in weekend and also helps to educate first-year students on how they can live sustainably. Of course, the program would not be a success without our incredible volunteers! Click the link below if you are interested in joining our team!
NEWS @ BROWN
Clean Break Updates
In May, the Office of Sustainability ran our Clean Break program for the first time since the pandemic began. In total, we donated 38,452 pounds worth of items, which is 6,000 more pounds than in 2019. Volunteers aided in the collection of donations from students and distributed them to local organizations. This program helps to divert significant waste from the landfill while also contributing usable items to the Providence community. Organizations that received donations included Goodwill, Bear Market, Big Brother Big Sister, and more!
IBES Welcomes New Director Kim Cobb
Kim Cobb was previously a professor at the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at Georgia Tech whose research focuses on building capacity for climate solutions. Cobb has won multiple awards for her work in the field of climate science, and we are thrilled to welcome her to Brown!
"Brown has so much capacity to be part of the solution — from public health expertise to Earth sciences to policy and economics and social sciences. It’s becoming clear that the wholesale changes we really need to see are going to be grounded in collaborative work." - Kim Cobb — Incoming Director, Institute at Brown for Environment and Society
BEYOND BROWN
Sustainability news you might have missed in Rhode Island, the nation, and the world
Rhode Island News:
Bringing Farm Fresh Produce to Everyone
Farm Fresh RI, Providence facility
Rhode Island is making strides towards sustainability through various initiatives, including a recently announced agreement between The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) under the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program (LFPA). This agreement arranges for over $700,000 worth of locally sourced food to be distributed to underserved RI communities. Additionally, the food will be sourced from underserved local producers—including immigrant and refugee farmers—through Farm Fresh RI and their partners.
U.S. News:
Wildfire Protection & Other Forest Conservation
President Biden recently signed an executive order that aims to improve the quality of U.S. forests, as well as create pathways for the development of protective measures against climatic events such as wildfires. This order complements the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that was passed, which allocates funding for crucial actions such as the reduction of hazardous fuels, wildfire management and defense, and increasing federal firefighter pay to a livable wage. The executive order itself will encourage the development of data collection and analysis, climate-smart stewardship, and enhanced coordination regarding the maintenance of federal forests, especially those that are in need of more specialized attention. The order also includes provisions for combating global deforestation and centering nature-based solutions to the issues at hand.
World News:
2022 Environmental Performance Index
Every two years, a team of researchers from Yale and Columbia release the Environmental Performance Index (EPI). This index is used to measure a country’s commitment to the environment, using data from a myriad of areas. Progress towards international goals such as the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals or the Paris Climate Accords are taken into consideration as well, and while some nations are making good progress, others are lagging behind. Denmark sits at the top of the list, followed by the United Kingdom. These countries are the only two that are slated to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, the target that was established in the 2021 Glasgow Climate Act. After a temporary absence from the Paris Agreement, the United States is currently 43rd out of 180 countries, and 20th out of 22 wealthy democracies.
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE RESOURCES
On May 5, 2022, the U.S. Department of Justice released a memorandum outlining the principles for environmental justice enforcement along with steps that will be taken in order to ensure these standards are met. This includes the formation of an Environmental Justice Steering Committee within the Environment and Natural Resources Division that will work to advance the current administration’s goals towards environmental justice. The principles are as follows:
1. We must prioritize cases that will reduce public health and environmental harms to overburdened and underserved communities.
2. We must make strategic use of all available legal tools to address environmental justice concerns.
3. We must ensure meaningful engagement with impacted communities.
4. We must promote transparency regarding environmental justice enforcement efforts and their results.
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
Congrats to the Class of 2022!
For this season’s spotlight, we want to highlight the amazing Environmental Studies/Science graduates from the class of 2022. This year’s graduating class has done work with climate justice advocacy, inequality, conservation, policy, and so much more while at Brown. Their many future plans include working for conservation organizations, founding startup ventures, researching energy efficiency, teaching eco-literacy, and running climate justice organizations. Congratulations class of 2022!
LOCAL VENDOR SPOTLIGHT
Wishing Stone Farm
Wishing Stone Farm was founded in 1983 and has grown into an approximately 50 acre farm with over fifteen greenhouse spaces. Owned and operated by the Peckham-Paul family, Wishing Stone has committed to sustainable practices in a variety of ways, including a new initiative to prioritize growing methods that sequester carbon. The farm also runs a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, which allows community participants to contribute funding to the farm in exchange for fresh produce and other Wishing Stone goods for 22 weeks.
RESEARCH @ BROWN
The Relationship Between Humans and their Environment
“What does it mean to give rights to the other-than-human world? Where does the idea that people “give” rights come from, and what are the alternatives? Are rights a useful way to imagine an ethical relationship between humans and nature?”
Assistant Professor of History and Environment and Society Dr. Bathsheba Demuth is an environmental historian whose research focuses on these questions, critically analyzing the relationship between people and their environment. She conducts much of her research in the Arctic, including the Yukon River watershed, which runs through multiple Indigenous communities. As a result, this environment has borne witness to many historical developments, including major changes in how people view and treat the environment around them. Read more about Dr. Demuth and her work on her website.
SUSTAINABILITY TIPS
Summer Smarts
Hit the farmers market for fresh produce:
Eating locally grown produce means supporting your community and significantly reduces your carbon footprint. For those in Providence, here are some nearby options:
1. Farm Fresh RI (runs year round!)
2. Hope Street Farmers Market
3. Weaver Library Farmers Market
Be mindful of your food waste:
Instead of using single use plastics to make produce last, try using something low-waste instead! Opt for a beeswax wrap, glass storage container, or fitted silicone cover instead.
Consider your sunscreen choices:
As the UV index gets higher, it’s crucial for us to wear sunscreen to protect our skin. In order to make sure that it’s also safe for the environment, make sure you’re purchasing reef-safe sunscreen! Click here to learn more about how to tell what’s actually reef-safe.
Stay hydrated:
Another important part of summer is making sure you stay hydrated. Invest in a good reusable water bottle that you can carry with you and keep refilled!
OS SUGGESTS
After the murder of George Floyd in May 2020, Leah Thomas—a lifelong environmentalist—hit her breaking point regarding the lack of intersectionality in the field. She went viral on social media for outlining her personal definition of intersectional environmentalism which would end up becoming a crucial component of the fights against both climate change and systemic racism. Thomas' book focuses on BIPOC voices, which are often diminished in the history of environmentalism, despite their heavy involvement. The Intersectional Environmentalist is a great place to start for those looking to broaden their views of both environmentalism and social justice.
Consider going to the library, buying a used copy, or shopping local!